Warming shelf for ranges



y 1941- A. sTocKs'rRoM EI'AL WARMING SHELF FOR RANGES Filed Oct. 23, 1939 fn/rszvrams awwiiw Patented July 8, 1941 WAREHNG SHELF FOR RANGES Arthur Stockstrom and Almer H. Brodbeck,

St. Louis, Mo assignors to American Stove Company, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of New Jersey Application October 23, 1939, Serial No. 300,852

11 Claims. (01. 126332) The present invention pertains to the provision in a novel way of a warming shelf for ranges of the so-called table top type. Our improved warming shelf is illustrated, and hereinafter described, as being applied to and used in combination with a table top type of range, but it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to use on ranges of this particular type and the invention is to be limited only within the scope of the hereinafter appended claims.

The primary object of the invention is a cheap yet highly efiicientwarming shelf for ranges.

Another object of the invention is to provide a warming shelf which is entirely concealed from view when not being used.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a warming shelf which when in use is positioned to utilize the heat generated by the cooking top portion or burners of a range.

Other specific objects include concealing the warming shelf, when not in use, behind the splash plate of the range cooking top; providing novel means for guiding the movement of the warming shelf; providing novel means for supporting the shelf in an operative position; and providing 1 novel means by which the shelf can be easily and quickly applied to and detached or removed from the range.

Other specifically novel features of construc tion and improved results of the invention will appear in more detail from the following description when read in the light of the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the upper end or cooking top portion of a table top type of domestic gas range having our improved invention app-lied thereto.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view through the splash back of the range illustrated in Figure 1 and through the warming shelf disposed in its inoperative and concealed position.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view similar to Fig. 2 with the warming shelf being shown in its extended or operative position.

Figure 4 is a detail and fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken on the line 44 of Figure 2 looking downward.

In reading the following description and considering the accompanying illustration of the application of the invention it is to be understood that reference is being made to only one embodiment or form which the invention may take and that the improved Warming shelf can be applied to and used in combination with ranges having constructions other than those illustrated without departing from the spirit of the invention.

We have found that table top type ranges are criticized by many of the users thereof by reason of the fact that there is no place to warm dishes or to keep cooked foods warm without placing them in the range oven and that this manner of warming dishes and foods is inconvenient. Accordingly the present invention has been conceived to provide, without marring the appearanceof the range, means by which dishes, cooked foods, etc. can be warmed or kept warm.

In Figure 1 of the drawing the cooking top portion of a more or less conventional type of table top gas range is illustrated. The range here illustrated is what is commonly referred to as a divided cooking top in that it is provided with utensil grids or open cooking top portions A disposed at the ends of the range and separated by the table top or working portion B of the range.

A range of this character requires a pair of concealing covers designated as an entirety at C if the range is of the better or more expensive type and is provided with covers for concealing the cooking top portions of the range when they are not being utilized for cooking purposes.

As is customary and in fact practically universal practice the range is provided with a splash back plate designated as an entirety by D. The doors to the range ovens partially appear in this figure of the drawing and are designated at E and F respectively while the handles for the valves controlling the flow of gas to the cooking top and oven burners are positioned in spaced relationship, as appears at 5, along a front panel 6 which closes the front ends of the cooking top burner chambers.

In recent years the'trade has demanded ranges of pleasing appearance and to this end, as will hereinafter more clearly appear, our warming shelf when not in use is concealed from view as will be apparent by reference to the right hand end of Figure 1 of the drawing. In keeping with the provision of a range of pleasing appearance the present range splash back is'inset at its ends behind the cooking top portions of the range, as indicated at i, so that when the covers C are folded and swung back, as illustrated at the left end of Figure 1 of the drawing, they are entirely removed from any interference with the cooking operations upon the grids and fold into said olfsets of the splash back to blend in and not detract from the appearance of the range.

The range illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawing is intended to be placed with its back edges flush against the wall of the kitchen or room in which it is to be used, but a range of this par-' ticular type is not essential to the application of our invention thereto as our improved shelf can be applied to other types of ranges equally well. As a matter of fact the present invention rather than being made factory equipment for a range is such as to render it easily applicable to ranges already manufactured and in use.

Inasmuch however as the range is of the flush against the wall type the main or front panel of the splash back has rearwardly extending vertical marginal edges 8 and a rearwardly extending and horizontally disposed top or upper marginal edge 9. The splash back portion of the cooking top is bulged outwardly or forwardly as designated at H] with the result that at this point its top or upper marginal edge is widened as at l I, but this particular construction is not essential to the operation of our invention or the application of it to the range but is present merely because this particular configurational design is believed to add to the appearance of the range.

By reference particularly to Figures 2 and 3 of the drawing it will be seen that the main top frame l2 of the cooking top of the range is provided with a horizontally disposed rear marginal edge or leg l3 and that the lower end of the splash back is inturned to provide a horizontal leg hi which in reality constitutes a base for the splash back. This leg or base M of the splash back is superimposed upon and suitably secured, as by bolts or welding, to the rear marginal edge I3 of the cooking top frame [2 and in this manner the splash back is rigidly supported and secured in a vertical plane at the rear of the range cooking top.

Inasmuch as the construction of the two Warming shelves illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawing is identical description of one will suffice to describe the other and description of only a singie shelf will be made.

Behind the inset portion 1 or that portion of the splash back immediately behind a cooking grid, a guide plate G is telescopically arranged within the confines of the marginal rear turned edges of the splash back. By reference to Figures 2 and 3 of the drawing it will be seen that this plate constitutes a main vertically disposed wall or plate portion l5 the lower end of which is inturned as at E6 to rest upon and be suitably secured upon the base 14 of the splash back and its upper end is likewise inturned or inwardly bent as designated at I! and is suitably secured to the top or rearwardly extending marginal edge 9 of the splash back. At this point the guide plate is additionally secured against displacement by being behind and abutting the inner side of the short downwardly extending leg or flange [8 of the splash back top 9.

Adjacent each of its ends the guide plate is cut out to provide an elongated vertically extending slot H! which terminates short of the bottom of the guide plate as indicated at 20 and considerably short of the top of the guide plate in an inturned flange designated at 2|.

The vertical edges or ends of the guide plate are bent rearwardly and backwardly, as clearly indicated in Figure 4 of the drawing, to provide U-shaped guideways 22 Having reference now to Figure 4 of the drawing, which most clearly shows the construction, it will be seen that we provide a guide E. This guide, see Figures 2 and 3 of the drawing, is comparatively short and has its Vertical edges bent rearwardly and inwardly into a U-shape as designated at 23. The guide as a consequence of the construction described, has its U-shaped ends telescopically received by the U-shaped portions 22 of the guide plate with the result that the guide can reciprocate vertically throughout the length or height of the guide plate and be guided and maintained in position by the guide plate during all positions of its movement.

The warming shelf is designated as an entirety at J and the particular form thereof can be varied to suit the desires of its builder or user but in this instance comprises a rectangular frame made of a plurality of cross wires 24 the ends of which are suitably secured to a transversely extending rear frame wire or member 25 and a transversely extending front frame-member, which for appearance sake is preferably aluminum or chrome plated, 26, provided with an operating handle or knob 21.

Each of the guides H is provided with a strap 28 which encircles and rotatably receives the rear warming shelf frame wire 25. These straps constitute connecting means between the guides and shelf.

Adjacent their lower ends each of the guides is provided with a pair of spring clips designated as an entirety by K. Each of these clips has a leg portion 29 suitably secured within the guide and a forwardly extending leg or end portion 30 which passes through a suitable opening 3| in the guide adjacent its lower end. The leg or forwardly extending portion of each of the clips is disposed and movable Within its respective longitudinal guide plate opening I9.

lhe use of the spring clips 3!] has been found to facilitate the assembling of the shelf and its application to the range. These clips likewise facilitate the shelf removal, should it be found desirable, from the range. The spring clips 30 need only be pulled back through the open rear side of the splash back D beyond the tops 2| of the guide plate openings I9 to permit the removal of the Warming shelf from the range.

In operation, the warming shelf when not in use assumes the position illustrated at the right hand end of Figure 1 of the drawing and in section in Figure 2 of the drawing. It will be seen that when not in use the shelf is completely concealed from view behind the splash back and is supported in suspended position behind the splash back through the engagement of the chrome or aluminum front frame member 26 with the top or inturned horizontal marginal edge 9 of the splash back. Should it be desired, the top 9 of the splash back could be indented so that the front frame member 26 would rest flush with the top of the splash back and leave only the operating handle 2'! thereof visible. When it is desired to use the warming shelf the operator need only grasp the handle 27 and lift upwardly and then swing the shelf downwardly and forwardly until it assumes the position illustrated at the left hand end of Figure 1 and in Figure 3 of the drawing. When in this position the shelf is horizontally disposed above the rear-most portion of a cooking top grid so that plates, food stuffs or the like, placed upon the shelf will be kept warm. The shelf is held in its horizontal position through engagement of the extending ends 30 of the spring clips with the tops 2! of the guide plate openings I9. The guide plate opening tops 2! constitute stops to the upward movement of the warming shelf and are so disposed as to accurately position the shelf in a horizontal position when extended for use. The shelf is supported primarily in its horizontal position by the engagement of the spring clips with the stops 2| but additional support for the shelf is attained by reason of its wires 24 abutting and resting across the top 9 of the splash back.

We claim:

1. In a range, a cooking section having a stationary splash back at one side thereof, a warming shelf behind said splash back and disposed in substantial parallelism thereto, said shelf being movable into a position above said splash back, means to guide said shelf in said movement, said shelf in its elevated position being movable into a position where it extends forwardly from said splash back and over the cooking section, and means to support said shelf in said last named position.

2. In a range, a cooking section having a splash back at one side thereof, a plate behind said splash back provided with guideways, a warming shelf suspended behind said splash back and plate and concealed thereby, a guide associated with said shelf and movable in said guideway, a pivotal connection between said shelf and said guide, handle means by which said shelf may be moved to a vertical position above said splash back and plate, a combined stop and support means associated with said guide, and means forming a part of said plate adapted to engage said combined stop and support, the parts cooperating so that the shelf can be moved into and supported in a position where it extends forwardly from said splash back and over said cooking section.

3. A construction such as defined in claim 2, wherein said combined stop andsupport is of a resilient nature to permit its being readily moved into a position where it will not engage the plate, whereby the warming shelf can be quickly detached and removed from the range.

4. A construction such as defined in claim 2, wherein the plate is provided with a shoulder adapted to be engaged by said combined stop and support, and said combined stop and support is resilient in nature and normally disposed to engage said plate shoulder but is readily movable into a position to avoid said engagement, whereby the warming shelf can be quickly and readily attached to and detached from the range.

5. In a range, a cooking section having a splash back at one side thereof, a Warming shelf disposed behind and concealed by said splash back and vertically movable in respect thereto, a member by which to move said shelf to a position above said splash back, means to limit the upward movement of said shelf, means to support the shelf in a position extending forwardly from said splash back over said cooking section, means to support said shelf in a suspended position behind said splash back, means to guide said shelf in its vertical movement, and said shelf having quick detachable connection with its associated support and guide means.

6. In a range, a cooking section having a vertically disposed splash back at one side thereof,

a vertically disposed plate behind said splash back, said plate being provided with guideways, said plate being cut out to provide a pair of elongated slots, a warming shelf suspended behind and concealed by said splash back and plate and provided with a guide having free sliding engagement with the guideways' of said plate, a

ivotal connection between said guide and said shelf, a pair of resilient stop elements carried by said guide one each of which normally extends into and is movable within one of the elongated slots in said plate, and means by which said shelf is moved vertically and forwardly into a position so that it extends forwardly from the upper end of said splash back over said cooking section, said resilient stop elements being movable against spring tension into a position whereby they lie entirely without their respective elongated slots, whereby the shelf can be readily removed from and attached to the range.

7. In a range provided with a splash back extending vertically from the rear edge of said range, a plate vertically disposed behind said splash back provided with a vertical slot having a closed upper end near the upper end of said. splash back, a vertically sliding guide member, a warming shelf having its lower end pivotally connected with said guide member, a catch carried by said guide member and adapted to engage the upper end of said plate slot to stop the upward movement of said guide member, whereby said warming shelf can be concealed in said space behind said splash back and drawn upward from said space until stopped by said catch and then turned outward to a horizontal position to act as a warming shelf.

8. In a cooking range, a top cooking section having a vertically extending splash back at one side thereof, a warming shelf suspended behind said splash back and disposed in substantial parallelism thereto and concealed thereby, said shelf being vertically movable into a position above the top of said splash back, means to guide said shelf in said movement, a pivotal connection between said guiding means and said warming shelf to permit said shelf when elevated above said splash back to be swung downwardly to rest upon the top of said splash back and project forwardly over the cooking top section of the range, and means to maintain said shelf in said last named position.

9. A construction such as defined in claim 1 wherein, said warming shelf has quick detachable connection with said range.

10. A construction such as defined in claim '7 wherein, said catch is readily movable out of said plate slot to permit said warming shelf to be removed from the range.

11. A construction such as defined in claim 2 wherein, said combined stop and support means is readily movable to a position out of engagement with said plate, whereby the warming shelf can be quicldy detached and removed from the range.

ARTHUR STOCKSTROM. ALMER H. BRODBECK. 

